


Taste (Artificial)

by hingabee, PunishedPyotr



Series: The Self-Indulgent XX Chromosome AU [3]
Category: Metal Gear
Genre: Accidental edging, Is that not a tag?, LIQUID TOPS, M/M, Pegging, Scented Lube, Teasing, dildo blow jobs, gender validation, implied fingering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-30
Updated: 2019-03-30
Packaged: 2019-12-26 14:50:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18284495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hingabee/pseuds/hingabee, https://archiveofourown.org/users/PunishedPyotr/pseuds/PunishedPyotr
Summary: "Don't tell me you wouldn't enjoy switching things up for once and letting me take control, huh?" Even though he was whispering, Liquid still felt his voice was echoing through the store. "You could just relax and lie back and I would-"Mantis turned his head away, not even daring to look at Liquid."Er, Mantis...?""...if you really want to get it I won't stop you," Mantis mumbled.





	Taste (Artificial)

Unfortunately, one of the straps on Mantis' harness broke. Even more unfortunately, the only place he could get a replacement was the seedy sex shop in the little town closest to FOXHOUND headquarters. Mantis dreaded every trip there, despite his own insistence on  _ going _ there in first place in order to shop for clothes - he liked their selection of bondage gear but got irrationally pissed off that people might see him go into a sex shop and assume he's  _ horny _ .

Liquid magnanimously offered to accompany him, for emotional support. It was nice to go out to town once in a while, and he figured that after they got Mantis' new harness they could make a day of it and go catch a movie or something. (Even if the town's little movie theatre only offered two films at a time, neither of which were ever rated higher than PG-13.) What Liquid had failed to account for was that... well, the sex shop... it was  _ embarrassing _ , going in there, and somehow it had an overwhelming atmosphere... Liquid couldn't help but be a little shocked when he first walked in, and right after that decided that it would be best to just stare at his boots the whole time.

Mantis elbowed him. "It's just toys and props — it is the  _ people _ that are so objectionable, but right now it is just us and the cashier, who does not care. Nothing to be embarrassed about."

"I'm not worried about what other people are thinking of me," Liquid mumbled. There was just some odd humiliation that was  _ inherent _ in being surrounded by sex gear.

"Then what  _ are _ you worried about?" Mantis asked, feigning interest in his voice but being obviously preoccupied by skimming through the assorted collection of leather pants (some with and some without  _ bottoms _ ) in front of them.

"It's just  _ weird _ . Do people really buy all this stuff - I mean what is that thing even used for?" Failing to hide his distress, Liquid meekly pointed at a black box that looked more like it belonged in a computer store than a sex shop.

"That’s an electrical shock-stimulator." Mantis paused. "Unless you plan to actually help me with picking out a new harness instead of making a fuss and being obnoxious, you can just wait outside."

Liquid pouted but chose not to get down to Mantis' level and start an argument in the middle of a sex shop, of all places. Fine, then! He was an adult - surely it would not be much trouble to look around the store for a few minutes without people assuming he was some kinky weirdo.

"Boss, I doubt the people who tend to visit this kind of establishment would be in any position to judge you for that. And don't touch that - you didn't even wash your hands before we came here."

Liquid grumbled quietly as Mantis left him to his own devices, still staring at the weird, pink silicone monstrosity on the shelf in front of him

"I just wanted to see what the texture felt like..." he mumbled into his collar defensively, crossing his arms.

"Well, don't, unless you plan to buy it. It isn't so much you do not know where it has been as it is you do not know where it is going to  _ end up _ ."

Liquid flushed. Yes, now that he thought about it, he  _ could _ buy something here if he wanted to.  _ Why _ he would want to wasn't clear yet. Maybe to prove he wasn't just being a big baby about this whole premise. Though what he was willing to buy was another matter entirely. Maybe he should offer to pay for Mantis' harness - no, he didn't have that kind of spare cash, while Mr. Former-psychic-spy-for-the-highest-bidder over there did. Maybe he'd just buy some condoms, even if they didn't end up using them?

With Mantis still preoccupied, Liquid, bored, wandered further down the store's aisles. While sex toys were rather foreign to him personally, it was at least obvious what some of them were... for.

"Hm? Mantis, this one comes with a harness — some sort of two for one deal?"

Mantis didn't even bother glancing over the aisle partition. "That is a strapon, boss."

"A what?"

"What do you  _ think? _ "

" _ Ah _ ," Liquid said flatly, eyes pinned to the simple black dildo adorned by a shiny harness. "So it's for like, lesbians?"

Mantis sighed audibly. "Anyone can use it, really. I would guess it is even more popular with straight couples than with lesbians."

"What? You mean this is some kind of dominatrix thing?" 

Clearly exasperated by Liquids apparent confusion (or inability to think for himself) Mantis clicked his tongue disapprovingly while holding a much too big mesh shirt too his chest. "Well,  _ some _ men are just into the idea of being...- why are you looking at me like that, boss?"

Liquid grinned at him and grabbed the strap-on.

"No,  _ no _ . I am offended that you would even think of me like that - put it down now, Eli!" Mantis almost dropped the stuff he had picked out for himself as Liquid poked his hip with the strap-on, giggling almost hysterically. 

"Don't tell me you wouldn't enjoy switching things up for once and letting me take control, huh?" Even though he was whispering, Liquid still felt his voice was echoing through the store. "You could just relax and lie back and I would-"

Mantis turned his head away, not even daring to look at Liquid. 

"Er, Mantis...?"

"...if you really want to get it I won't stop you," Mantis mumbled, taking a moment to collect himself and stared down at the strap-on that Liquid was still holding up in front of his own crotch provocatively. 

"Uh-" Liquid, his face turning red, was not sure how to react.

"No," Mantis interrupted him. "It is alright. I suppose this could be...  _ interesting _ ."

This was just unfair! Liquid had been trying to tease Mantis, not the other way around - why was  _ he _ the embarrassed one now?!

"Boss," Mantis started with  a sigh, but Liquid shook his head, flustered, and put the toy back without another word. He opted to just spend the rest of the shopping trip again staring at his shoes and quietly following Mantis; fortunately, since Mantis had already picked his things out, the rest of the shopping trip mostly amounted to walking up to the cashier counter to pay.

Before heading back to headquarters they checked to see if the movie theater had anything interesting (it didn't) and stopped to buy some snacks, mostly for Liquid although Mantis would undoubtedly sneak some of the sweeter ones for himself and Liquid would pretend that he didn't notice. By the time they got back  _ to _ headquarters Liquid was in a good mood again and had entirely forgotten about the embarrassing little incident at the sex store.

* * *

That evening.

Liquid grabbed Mantis around the middle and nuzzled the back of his neck. "We have some time before we actually have to go to bed, you know."

"Deciding to leave the rest of your work for tomorrow isn't the same thing as finishing early."

"Semantics."

"What do you want, you hormonal beast?" Mantis' tone of voice was way too affectionate for Liquid to take the insult seriously.

Liquid nipped his ear. "You  _ did _ buy some new, ah,  _ clothes _ earlier today, mm? ...I'd like to see you model them."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Yes, and in the interests of being able to assess how accurately they fit to your body - I think you should try them on without anything underneath!"

Mantis rolled his eyes and patted Liquid's hand before stepping away from him to rummage up the bag from today's shopping trip. Liquid sat cross-legged on the bed, smiling, cheerfully awaiting a fashion show/striptease.

"As a matter of fact," Mantis said, "there  _ is _ something I was looking forward to showing you."

"Oh??"

Mantis hesitated either out of drama or second-guessing himself, but ultimately pulled something out of the bag that was decidedly  _ not _ a new leather harness: It was the very same strapon that Liquid had been fooling around with.

Liquid flushed. "That- that—"

"I know you put it back, but... I thought..."

"Mantis- I was joking! I-I didn't- I mean I  _ don't _ -"

He knew Mantis was smiling at him from behind the damn mask, that bastard.

"We don't have to use it, er, together, if you don't want to. But I figured that if you expect me to put on a show for you, you might as well return the favor?"

Liquid drew his legs up to his chest and chewed his nails. Mantis did not look exactly expectant, he would probably take 'no' for an answer and leave it at that - but at what  _ cost? _

Liquid's pride was not made to suffer.

"A-Alright, let me see it... ."

Mantis let the strap-on float over to the bed, digging around in the bag to fish out the mesh shirt. "I'm afraid this is the only thing  _ you _ would consider 'sexy' - how very transparent of you, may I add - but it would probably get soiled, knowing your libido."

"Shut up..." Liquid grunted and awkwardly fumbled around with the harness. "Do people wear this over their clothing or...?"

"Both. It's a personal preference I assume."

"I see..."

There was a short silence, then Liquid started to unceremoniously tear off his shirt and pants.

"You didn't have to strip completely," Mantis said mildly. "Then again, the fact that you kept your shirt on  _ this _ long is practically a miracle."

"Shut up. How does this—" Liquid wrestled with the straps, affixing them over his hips. "Uhm." Moving the dildo into its properly place was done with the air of handling something made out of very thin porcelain. Sure, he was eager, but he was also nervous and that made his bravado really come across more as ... flightiness.

"Well?" Mantis said.

"Uhhhhm." Liquid stared down at the long black dildo poking out from his crotch. He put a hand to his mouth, cheeks pink.

"You like seeing yourself with a dick, don't you?"

"It- it's sort of uncomfortable," Liquid muttered, adjusting and re-adjusting the base where it was pressed up against him.

Mantis shrugged. "It is designed for women," he said, "and women tend to be... not really  _ built _ the way you are."

"O-Oh..."

"Do you need help?" Mantis cocked his head and dropped the bag.

"Hn." 

"Eli?"

Liquid took a deep breath before looking up directly at Mantis. "C-Come here."

Mantis stepped closer.

"No I mean- come  _ here _ ..." He pretended that his voice was not trembling with excitement and anxiety.

Mantis hands were cold against his heated skin and Liquid found himself grateful that the other man was not wearing gloves for once. 

"I see I did right by buying you this little present, hm? Just the illusion of it brings you so much enjoyment, maybe we can go to bed without exhausting you tonight after all?"

Liquid gasped slightly when Mantis leaned in to rest the filter of his mask against his neck. 

"N-No," he mumbled and reached for its clasps. "That won't do."

Surprised and caught off guard at how easily and without protest Mantis let him take off his mask, Liquid uselessly blinked at Mantis’ bare face.

"What do you want me to do, boss? I may just be inclined to indulge you."

Liquid licked his lips feverishly. 

" _ Touch it. _ "

Mantis put one hand on Liquid's chest and reached the other down — Liquid had to break eye contact, biting his lip. He couldn't really  _ feel _ when Mantis touched the dildo, of course, it was just a sensationless lump of plastic, but he  _ could _ feel the movement of it, the slight shift back against him as Mantis rolled his palm over it, grasping the shaft.

"Like this, boss?" Mantis said, his voice soft and low.

"Mm—" Liquid nodded, grabbing on to Mantis' shoulders. "Mmhm."

It was not so much the little bit of friction Mantis' touch granted him as watching the movement of Mantis' hand with greedy eyes. 

As out of place and weird this moment was - a peculiar inner peace spread inside of Liquid at how  _ normal _ this made him feel. 

"Kiss me-" he demanded.

Mantis did, hesitantly, but he did. 

It took Liquid a moment to realise that  _ he _ was supposed to be in charge as he waited for Mantis to push him onto the bed and give him further instructions.

Carefully he slipped his arms around Mantis’ waist and pulled him back onto the duvet with him, Mantis' hand never once ceasing to move steadily against that silly strapon between them.

"You usually aren't satisfied with this little action," Mantis remarked and bit Liquid's lip.

It was hard not to just fall into the familiar role of letting Mantis take control and forcing pleasure out of his body with skilled and precise movements - Liquid was restless, unsure on how to proceed and wondering about how much dominance he could truly allow himself here.

"What's the matter, boss?" Mantis murmured. "You have no problem taking charge in  _ other _ situations."

Liquid turned his head away. Was he really thinking that loud? "I-I'll make a fool of myself," he whispered hoarsely.

"How is that any different from usual?" Mantis pulled the strapon at enough of an angle that its base pressed hard against Liquid's clit - Liquid wasn't able to quell the mortifying little squeak that came out of him at that. He moved to cover his mouth with his hand, but Mantis intercepted, kissing him again.

"M—- M-Mantis," Liquid gasped, rolling his hips into his hand, looking down between their stomachs to stare at Mantis jerking off the dildo. He felt so warm and sort of tingly, like each barely-felt movement was shooting electricity through him.

"What do you want me to do?" Mantis said again.

Liquid, dry mouthed, reached up and grabbed the sides of Mantis' head, hesitated, and pushed him  _ down _ , a little more roughly than he intended.

"S-Suck," he breathed quietly.

Mantis looked up at Liquid's face, then to the strapon and back to Liquid.

He grinned, the stitches in his cheeks stretching out to an obscene grimace.

"You-" 

Forgetting what he was about to say Liquid stared in disbelief as Mantis honest-to-god kissed the black silicone in front of him, dragged his tongue over the smooth material - all while keeping eye contact.

"We could take it off-" Mantis spoke against the dildo, the vibration of his voice sending pleasant little shivers up Liquid's spine. "I can continue this on your bare skin, if you'd like?"

"No, k-keep going...-" 

Mantis just shrugged and caressed Liquid's thighs and hips languidly before wrapping his lips around the strap-on. 

_ It does not taste as good as you do, _ he thought but kept going nevertheless.

Liquid, getting restless and impatient as ever, lost control over his hips for a second and bucked into Mantis' mouth in response.

Mantis didn't like that - he gagged, and pushed himself off of Liquid, coughing. Liquid stiffened, panting. "S...sorry."

"Ugh." Mantis wiped his mouth with the back of his arm. "Silicon in my throat was not what I had planned."

"What... did you have p-planned?"

Mantis flicked the tip of the dildo; Liquid jolted at the proxy bump against his clit. He pressed his legs together, aware of how...  _ slippery _ he was starting to feel. "Just whatever you want to do, boss."

"R-Really? Whatever? That's a d-dangerous proposition."

"Not with you it isn't. I have never had to worry about your tastes being too..." he ran his finger down the side of the strapon to worm it under a strap and brush his fingernail up against Liquid's squished clit. Liquid yelped. "... _ extreme _ for me."

"M-M—Mantis-! Ah, aah— erm—-"

"Yes?" Mantis said innocently, sitting up and pecking him on the lips. Somehow Liquid could taste a faint transference of fresh rubber.

"We, we should... we should f-fuck," Liquid blurted out. "Like how you said people do i-in the store."

"You don't sound so sure about that yourself, though." Mantis drew circles on Liquid's shoulders with his free hand. "I'm pretty sure you will have to tell me what to do."

Liquid froze and felt his breath hitch as Mantis continued his busy fingerwork. He was not exactly sure what the other wanted from him - was not sure what he  _ himself _ wanted either.

"Um," He pushed Mantis down on the mattress slowly. "You're going to let me f-fuck you." 

Pulling Mantis' hands awkwardly away from himself and pinning them against the bed over Mantis' head, Liquid pressed his hips against him carefully, as not to hurt Mantis' skinny body with the hard silicone.

"Boss, you might wanna undress me first? Relax."

"You're just as impatient as I am, a-aren't you."

Mantis tried to keep a straight face but there was the slightest hint of a smile tracing his stitches. "Maybe."

Liquid pulled off Mantis' clothes quickly, by now entirely forgetting that he'd wanted him to model for him. Mantis reached up and pet his hair soothingly, and didn't protest a bit when Liquid clumsily flipped him over, hands trembling in a combination of nerves and pent-up energy.

"Uh— Eli?" Mantis said as Liquid pressed up against him.

"Hn?"

"Lube. You forgot lube."

"Oh god." Liquid covered his face with his hands. "I'm so st-stupid. I'm sorry, Mantis, I—"

"Shh, it's alright, you are just... over-excited." Mantis looked over his shoulder at him. "And unlike you I thought ahead, so we  _ do _ have some on hand." The sex shop bag rustled as Mantis levitated a bottle out of it and dropped it on the bed next to Liquid.

Liquid, sheepish, popped open the cap, broke the product safety seal, and poured a little into his hand. It quickly warmed it. An eye-wateringly artificial smell of vanilla began to fill the room - it took Liquid a few seconds to figure out where it was coming from.

"Is— is this  _ scented _ lube?" he asked Mantis.

Mantis wrinkled what was left of his nose. "It was on sale..."

"...why did you pick vanilla-scented...? Are you m-making fun of me??"

"You like vanilla," Mantis said matter-of-factly and turned around just far enough to lean over to pat Liquid's cheek. "Now?"

Liquid stuck out his tongue in concentration as he let the lube run down his fingers, eventually spreading it across. He steadied himself on Mantis' hip before pressing his eyes shut and having his slimy hand search blindly between Mantis' thighs.

"You might want to  _ see _ what you are doing down there," Mantis said, a slight hint of panic in his voice as Liquid pushed past his goal and poked at his balls instead. 

This was ridiculous - they had done similar things before. Sure, never to this extent but Liquid wasn't a stranger to toying around with men's asses - especially his own. 

"I can do it myself if you-"

"N-No!" Liquid steadied his hold on Mantis and finally pressed a finger against the right spot. "You're supposed to do what I tell you."

Mantis made a quiet noise at the uncomfortable intrusion but quickly relaxed as Liquid hesitantly moved his finger back and forth.

"I can take more than that, Eli."

It was not like Liquid doubted that, after all Mantis had agreed to use the not so small strap-on with him - but he wanted to be careful, lest he ended up hurting the other's fragile body somehow. 

Mantis snorted at those thoughts which prompted Liquid to shove a second finger up his ass, just for spite.

"Ah—" Mantis made an indignant noise at the sudden intrusion, but again quickly relaxed, hiding his face in the pillow. "Better."

"Hn."

Liquid probed around for a bit before glancing upon a spot that made Mantis lift his hips back towards him; after a moment, Mantis hissed, "boss, right  _ there _ , again."

"Where?"

"You are- hopeless. Let's just get on with it."

Insulted but impatient, Liquid pulled his fingers out and - rather self-consciously - applied a little more lube to the strapon. Despite the lack of anyone touching *him* while he was fingering Mantis, he could still feel himself throbbing down there worse than before. He was burning up, shaking with excitement.

"Go on," Mantis said, lifting his hips again, peeking at him from over his shoulder. "Why do you hesitate?"

"I-I'm not," Liquid said, lining up again. "I-I-I'll— I'm g-going to, just—-"

" _ Go _ ," Mantis hissed. "Stop being so anxious!"

Slowly Liquid leaned forward to press his chest against Mantis' back and wrap his arms around him. He could feel Mantis’ breathing, his heart pounding excitedly spurring on his pulse to echo through his body. 

"You want this really bad yourself, don't you?" Liquid mumbled, lips moving against pale skin. "Are you just being pushy because you’re selfish or...?"

Mantis exhaled.

"...I  _ may _ have been looking forward to this, yes," he admitted and reached around to grab at Liquid's arm. "But also I believe that you should let go and relax for once, you fantasize about being in charge like this a lot."

Liquid let his teeth graze Mantis shoulder and grabbed his hips. "I do."

He pushed forward and it felt weird, sure, the heated pressure against his crotch was distracting in itself, but the second-hand sensation of being breached with the strap-on was what caught a breath in Liquid's throat in the end. 

Mantis leaned back further against him as they carefully slotted together, whispering encouraging little nothings either at Liquid or himself - that was not clear. 

But it felt  _ good _ . Despite the strange unfamiliarity of position and sensations, Liquid let himself be guided by instinctual movements as Mantis panted in front of and below him.

"Is this— good, Eli?" Mantis murmured.

"Mm... mmhm." Liquid nuzzled the back of his neck. "B-But it kind of— hurts."

"Nnh." Mantis twisted around a bit, grabbing Liquid's hand. "What's the matter?"

"It k-keeps pressing against my— eh, a-ah, Mantis, i-it-—" his grip around Mantis' waist tightened hard enough to leave bruises later. "Mmnngh—-"

As far as orgasms went, it wasn't what he was expecting; frankly it was stronger than usual but something about it was  _ different _ , something about it left him rutting into Mantis desperately, gasping, instead of dozing off like he usually did. It was an entirely different sort of overwhelming that he couldn't quite breathe through.

"Ah, boss-" Mantis' back arched against him, "not so rough!"

"I'm sorry—!" Liquid whined and awkwardly slumped forward, half on top of Mantis, hips slowing in their movement.

He kissed Mantis' sweaty shoulders apologetically and moved against him more gently, riding out his orgasm on what little crumbling sanity he had left. 

"I meant— don't be so rough on yourself." Below him Mantis was gripping the sheets tightly enough for his knuckles to turn white and for a second the sensibility of the situation hit Liquid hard - god, here he was fucking his boyfriend with a fake dick, fucking  _ Mantis _ , completely bare and exposed just for him. 

The slow but steadier pressure of the strap-on against his clit turned out to build up another orgasm - this one less overwhelming but more intense and prolonged than the last one.

After that he lost track, his lizard brain taking over to chase more and more pleasure and completely disregarding the quite unusual setting and its charms to focus on physical stimulation. Between pausing to catch his breath and jumping back to rutting forward roughly there was not much else left but heat and sweat and saliva running down his chin.

"Eli-i—" Mantis’ voice ripped him back violently into reality. "Please - I can't keep going if you won't let me-"

"Nnh?" Liquid made an admittedly stupid noise, not quite able to process what Mantis was literally whimpering about.

"Fuck, Eli..." Mantis groped blindly for his hand, clutching it, then dragging it over his hip and to his crotch. "Stupid, inconsiderate man..."

"Oh," Liquid said, licking his lips. They tasted like salt. "Wh-what do I—"

Mantis just groaned, pushing Liquid's hand against his dick - which honestly felt harder than the dildo had, except it was throbbing and wet - and squeezing roughly.

"Th...this?" Liquid mimicked the motion (well, a bit more gently), squeezing Mantis' cock. Mantis let out a high pitched whine, grinding his hips like he was trying to pin Liquid's arm between himself and the mattress. "Y-Yes? This?"

"Yes, Eli-!"

Liquid may not have had a  _ real _ penis himself, but that didn't mean he was ignorant of how they were supposed to be handled; he knew he didn't have to treat it like it was made out of glass and Mantis was wholly beyond caring anyway, and he also knew he had to do more than just squeeze and rub his thumb over the head no matter how much that made Mantis mewl and shudder. It was with an almost automatic, reflexive motion that Liquid pumped his hand over him, falling quickly in time with the spastic movement of his hips as he tipped forward again to bite down on the back of Mantis' neck.

"Eli—- a, ah—"

Liquid was not really used to Mantis demanding such rough attention - usually he preferred it slow and sensual, much to Liquid's chagrin - but right now neither of them had time nor patience for that.

Between his own arousal closing in on him again and the pathetic moans his ministrations pulled from Mantis, he found himself unable to really control any of his movements. 

Mantis never let go like this, never let himself be put in any position that left him exposed and yet here they were, the added thrill of the moment edging Liquid on further. 

It felt good to be the one  _ being trusted _ for once and Liquid wrung out a tiny smile when Mantis finally spilled into his hand. He kept moving though, Mantis whimpering into the pillow from overstimulation as Liquid finally hit his own, last fading climax, subtle and sweet.

Absentmindedly wiping his hand on the sheets he nuzzled Mantis' neck. 

"I hope I don't have to sit a lot tomorrow..." Mantis grumbled eventually, voice hoarse and worn out. "D-Don't you dare schedule any sudden meetings, boss."

Liquid pulled away reluctantly but chuckled, awkwardly unbuckling the strap-on.

"No promises," Liquid said, tossing it aside and flopping down next to Mantis. "You know things can happen suddenly."

"You aren't funny."

He yawned, draping an arm over Mantis and pulling him close. Mantis rolled into his embrace with a little grumble. "Did you enjoy yourself, though...? You did, didn't you?"

"Oh, hush, boss." Mantis leaned his forehead against his tiredly. "Do not let this go to your head."

"You were awfully cute..."

"Hmph. I should say the same thing about you, I thought you were going to wet yourself when you saw yourself with that strapon."

"Shut it." But Liquid was grinning as he pressed a kiss against Mantis' jaw, then his mouth.

_ I suppose I will have to thank you for taking care of me, though. _ Mantis thought and let himself be pulled closer. 

_ You had this all planned out from the beginning, didn't you? _

Liquid simply got bit in return. 

And satisfyingly, though, that was just answer enough.


End file.
